501st Legion/Gateway Gaming
|disambig=501st Legion}} infantry |ft = |allegiance = |branch = |garrison = |CO = Jedi General Anakin Skywalker Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano |2i/c = Clone Commander CC-1119 "Appo" Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex" |so = Lieutenant Captain CT-5538 "Cort" Lieutenant Captain CT-5597 "Jesse" 2nd Lieutenant Phaser 2nd Lieutenant CT-555 "Fives" 2nd Lieutenant CT-4782 "Knotts" |su = Torrent Company Carnivore Battalion |strength = Clone troopers (Advanced Recon Commandos, Advanced Recon Force troopers) |members = CT-4734 "Hammest" CT-9415 "Hardcase" CT-1941 "Kerensky" CT-1170 "Wisdom" CT-7777 "Jackpot" CT-1409 "Echo" CT-3366 "Token" CT-1072 "Brekkard" CT-1931 "Bigred" CT-5454 "Piff" CT-6652 "Markov" |vehicles = |hq = |loc = |battles = |formed = |founded = 22 BBY |frag = |reorg = |dissolved = |era = |aff = (Grand Army of the Republic) |creator = |first = }} The 501st Legion, also known as the 501st Battalion or simply the 501st, was an elite military unit in the Grand Army of the Republic. Like other Republic military regiments, the 501st was composed by clone troopers—an army of soldiers bred on the planet Kamino to fight for the Galactic Republic. However, it was not part of any clone trooper corps; the 501st was a standalone infantry legion assigned to the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. Throughout the Clone Wars, the 501st deployed across the galaxy to defend the Republic against the droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and often served alongside Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi's 212th Attack Battalion on worlds such as Christophsis, Geonosis and Umbara. History Clone Wars The 501st Legion was a military division of infantry clone troopers—human clones grown from the genetic source material of the bounty hunter Jango Fett—that served the Galactic Republic in its final years. Serving as the personal battalion of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, the 501st was divided into several sub-divisions such as Torrent Company which, under the command of Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex," fought against the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the First Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY. Following the Republic's victory on Geonosis, the 501st deployed to various battlefronts across the galaxy as part of the newly-formed Grand Army of the Republic. Early missions Assuming command of the clone armies, the Jedi Order began directing the defense of the Republic against the Confederate droid forces since the days of the conflict. Following his promotion to the rank of Jedi Knight, General Skywalker and his first officer, Captain Rex, led the 501st's Torrent Company in the campaign to retake Christophsis. During the battle, the 501st was joined by Skywalker's new apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, who claimed the authority of Jedi Commander through her status as a Padawan in the Order. Upon defeating the Separatists with the help of the 212th Attack Battalion, the 501st was redirected to the planet Teth with orders to rescue Rotta, son of the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure. They sustained heavy losses against the Separatist Droid Army, but ultimately prevailed in the Battle of Teth with the support of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and the 212th. Skywalker's legion continued to serve the Republic over the course of the war, completing a variety of assignments and gaining new troopers—such as CT-1409 ("Echo") and CT-5555 ("Fives")—deemed worthy of serving in the ranks of the elite 501st. As Skywalker often worked alongside his mentor, Kenobi, the 501st also served with the 212th on several missions, including the voyage of Duchess Satine Kryze from Mandalore to Coruscant. The Death Watch, a terrorist organization opposed to Kryze's government, failed to assassinate the duchess before she could reach the galactic capital due to the combined efforts of the 501st and 212th. Later, a detachment of the 501st was sent to Naboo along with a squad of clone ordnance specialists where they ultimately prevented Doctor Nuvo Vindi's plan to attack the population through biological warfare. Following the theft of a holocron from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the 501st's Carnivore Battalion was sent on a mission to Devaron in order to retrieve the artifact from Cad Bane. In the ensuing battle between the Republic and Separatist forces, the battalion manned the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, designated 773, alongside two other brigades. The bounty hunter was presumed to have died in the battle, but in fact survived by disguising himself with the clone armor of the 501st trooper Denal. Battle of Kamino When the Separatists plotted to deal the Republic a crippling blow by destroying the cloning facilities of Kamino, the 501st and 212th rushed to the defense of their homeworld. The Battle of Kamino was a hard-fought victory for the Republic, due in part to the actions of the 501st. In particular, the troopers Echo and Fives were recognized for their service by Captain Rex, as well as CC-2224 ("Cody") of the 212th, and were both promoted to the elite status of ARC trooper in the aftermath of the battle. Afterward, Rex and the new ARC troopers of the 501st were sent with Skywalker and Kenobi to infiltrate the Citadel. Though succeeded in reacquiring the information pertaining to the Nexus Route from General Even Piell and his captain, Wilhuff Tarkin, the group lost Echo, who survived but was presumed dead, in addition to several other casualties. Equipment The 501st Legion utilized the Phase I clone trooper armor during the early period of the Clone Wars, from the first battle on Geonosis until the introduction of the Phase II model by the time of the Battle of Mon Cala. On certain occasions Rex and other members of the 501st made use of jetpacks for aerial transportation and greater mobility. In general, the 501st maintained the appearance of the standard clone trooper as designed on Kamino. However, Captain Rex became part of a growing trend of clone officers who customized their uniforms with unique color-based designs and supplementary pieces of armor. By the time of the Battle of Christophsis, Rex wore his armor with blue markings, a command pauldron, and a kama. By the time of Christophsis Rex was not the only clone trooper in the legion with blue markings, as several others possessed them as well. A clone sergeant had blue markings well around this time. Over time more troopers of the 501st came to customize their own kit, also using blue as a complementary color to the standard white. As the war continued, Phase II clone trooper armor became widespread within the ranks of the Grand Army, supplanting the Phase I model. When the 501st upgraded their armor, they adopted a common color scheme and markings that identified their unit affiliation. Nevertheless, some clones—such as Rex, the ARC troopers, and even common soldiers—retained their own unique designs that differed from the rest of the 501st. Category:Star Wars Category:Gateway Gaming